The cost of doing business with Labor

Media Release

22 February 2024

Labor’s Minister for Finance, Senator Katy Gallagher, needs to come clean on how hundreds of businesses have had their privacy and commercial arrangements breached under her watch.

It is staggering that the Department of Finance under Minister Gallagher has released information on up to 400 companies, some with personal details of individuals, only months after a similar breach had to be cleaned up.

When the original breach occurred in November, the Minister tried to brush concerns away with claims that appropriate steps had been taken. Clearly, she was wrong. This isn’t just a one off, this is now a track record of incompetence.

In the latest breach, it was only days later that the Department of Finance became aware of the fact that they breached privacy and commercial confidentiality arrangements. This will damage the public confidence in government procurement processes and the certainty of any business working with the Commonwealth in the future.

Companies impacted need more than an apology from the Department, and clearly no assurance that this problem won’t be repeated will suffice.

Shadow Minister for Finance, Senator Jane Hume said Labor’s incompetence is only matched by the chaos it has caused these businesses.

“Finance Minister Katy Gallagher should explain why she didn’t put more effort into resolving the damage caused by the same breaches of privacy and commercially sensitive information when it happened only three months ago, and to prevent it from happening again.

“Instead we got bland assurances that it wouldn’t. Now we see that she was still asleep at the wheel.

“Because of the Minister’s lack of interest in her job, the jobs of others have been put at risk.

“Companies and individuals impacted by this gross incompetence may exercise their rights against the Commonwealth, potentially costing taxpayers millions. So much for a Finance Minister who is focussed on the job at hand and reducing the Commonwealth’s legal bill.”